Apparatus for manufacturing white lead.



Patented Feb. 25, 1902.

F. J. CURBETT. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING WHITE LEAD.

(Application filed May 24, 1901.1

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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WITNESSES Patented Feb. 25, I902. v F. J.; CORBETT. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING WHITE LEAD.

(Application filed. Kay 24, 1901.)

'2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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UNITED STATES ATENT FFICE.

FREDERICK JOHN ODRBE'IT, OF SOUTH YARRA, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING WHITE LEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,139, dated February 25, 1902.

Application filed May 24, 1901.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J OHN 00R- BETT, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 11 Portland Place, South Yarra, county of Bourke, State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Manufacturing Vhite Lead of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus in which the manufacture of white lead can be eflectively and economically carried on; and the invention consists in the combination, in an apparatus for making white lead, of a settling-chamber, a float in said settling-chamber, a siphon-pipe connected with said float and extending outside the chamber, and a discharge-pipe communicating with the lower part of the chamber; and the invention consists, further, in the combination, in an apparatus for making white lead, of a plurality of settling-chambers, a vacuum-pan, discharge-pipes, each connecting one of said settling-chambers with the vacuum-pan, a spout connected with said vacuum-pan, a float in each settling-chamber, valved siphon-pipes, one to each float, connecting the same with the spout, a condenser connected with said spout, and an air-pump connected with said condenser.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view, with parts broken away, of my improved apparatus for making white lead. Fig. 2 is a side View of the apparatus, also with parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a vertical section through one of the floats of the apparatus, and Fig. 4 is a detail side view of the plug for closing the carbonating-chamber of the apparatus.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates an upper reservoir, which communicates by a pipe to, having a valve a, with a carbonatingchamber C, provided with an agitator c, journaled therein and of any suitable form for agitating the contents of the chamber. The

chamber 0 is surrounded by a jacket 0, to

which steam for heating is supplied through a suitable pipe 0 provided with a valve 0 B is a hopper provided with a dischargetube 1), preferably flexible and which termi- Serial No. 61,676. No model.)

mates in a tapering nozzle b adapted to enter an opening in the upper part of the chamber 0, which opening is closed, when the carbonation operation is in progress, by means of a suitable screw-plug b or any other suitable device. The hopper B is supported in any suitable manner, preferably, however, by means of a bail 6 to which is attached a spring-balance b, which is suspended by means of a hook b to any suitable point of support. From the lower part of the carbonating-chamber 0 extends a pipe 0, having a valve 0 and communicating with the interior of a settling vat or chamber D. The upper part of the carbonating-chamber O is connected by a valved pipe n with the upper part of the vat D. Two of these vats, with their connecting-pipes c n, are arranged as shown in Fig. 1. Each vat consists of an outer shell d, an inner perforated shell (1 and a lining d of canvas or other suitable close-meshed filtering material within said inner shell. The pipe 0" is connected with the interior space of the vat D-t. en, the space within the filtering medium 61 Within each vat is arranged a float d, counterbalanced by a weight 01', which is connected with the float bya wire (Z passing through the top of the vat D and over a pulley d mounted rotatably upon an arm 1" of a standard r, rising from the floor R or from any other point of support. To the float is connected a flexible siphon-pipe e ofrubber or other suitable material. The float d is made of wood or other suitable material of sufflcientlightness as to float upon the surface of the liquid employed and is provided with a bore 61*, extending through the same. The coupling d connects the pipe e with said bore, said pipe being by the bore placed in communication with the portion of the vat below the float. The upper end of the flexible tube 6 is connected with a valved pipe 6, which passes through the wall of the vat at the upper part of the same and thence in downward direction, its lower end being connected with the spout g of a suitable vacuum-pan G. The interior space of each vat D is connected at its lower portion by a suitable valved pipe g with said vacuum-pan G, and the latter is provided at its interior with an agitator G of any suitable construction, the shaft of said agitator being journaled at its lower end in a cross-bar g of the pan andatits upper end in acap g of the spout g of the pan and provided outside of the same with a bevel-gear g or other means for operating the same, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of the pipe c is located below the level of the float, and the pipes e 6 form thereby a siphon-pipe. The space between the exterior and interior shells 61 (Z of the settling-vat or filtering-vat D communicates by a pipe (2 with the spout g. 'The lower end of the vacuum-pan is connected by a pipe t', having avalve i, with pipes 2' delivering into settling vessels I. The pan is preferably provided with observation-windows m. To the outer end of the spout g of the vacuum-pan is connected a condensing-coil F, which is surrounded by a suitable liquid vessel f, provided with an overflow f the whole forming a condenser for the vapors distilled off from the material in the pan. The lower end of the coil F passes through the vessel fand delivers into a lowerliquid-reservoir A. This is a closed vessel, and from the upper portion of the same rises and then descends a pipe 0 into a vessel 0, filled with glycerin or other suitable material, thus forming a seal permitting the escape of air or gas from the vessel A, but not permitting ingress of the same through the pipe 0. To the coil F below its tank is connected by a pipef an air-pump E, which pump also communicates by pipe) with thetank A. From the upper portion of said tank A a pipe 0. runs directly to the upper liquid-reservoir A and from the lower portion of said tank A a pipe a communicates with the pump E and another pipe a connects said pump with the upper reservoir A.

A solution of from thirty to ninety per cent. of acetal aldehyde (O H O) and from seventy to ten per cent. of commercial acetic acid of thirty-five per cent. strength or other suitable solvent liquid is placed in the upper reservoir A. A quantity of this solution is allowed to flow through pipe a, so as to fill the carbonating-ohamber somewhat less than half-full. A suitable weight of litharge (indicated by the spring-balance 17 is placedin the hopper B, the same being retained in the hopper during the weighing by means of a suitable slide or valve 12 at the lower part of the hopper. The valve is drawn-and the litharge in quantity sutiicient to fill the chamber 0 approximately half-full allowed to flow into the same. The chamber 0 is provided at its upper portion with an inlet-tube t, communieating with valved branch tubes 25 2 A pressure-gage t is connected with said tubes between the valves/I5 t so as to show the pressure in the chamber 0. The pipes 15 t are connected with suitable sources of carbonicacid gas and compressed air, respectively.

of the agitator. Carbonioacid gas and compressed air are allowed to enter the chamber for from thirty to sixty minutes, the timedepending upon the pressure employed. The mixing operation having been completed, the contents of the chamber are permitted to flow through the tube 0' into one of the settlingvats D. Here the mass is allowed to settle and filter, the solid matter, which may be termed the precipitate or sludge, settling to the bottom of the tank and remaining within the filter-cloth 01 while the liquid passes through the cloth and through the perforations of the inner shell d and accumulates in the space between the inner andouter shells and also stands supernatant upon the sludge. The valve e of the pipe 6 is opened and the valve 6 of the pipe e is opened and the air-pum p E started, wherebya suction is created in the pipef, coil F, spout g, pipes e and e, and bore (Z so that the supernatant liquid is drawn up through the bore 01 and the flexible tube 6 and flows down through c g and the condensing-coil F, the whole forming a siphon, the action of the pump E being continued, if necessary, to carry on the operation. The pipe 6 serves for drawing on? the liquid filtering out from the mass and located' below the level of the float. The liquid is discharged by the coil F into the lower tank A. The sludge is now permitted to flow through the comparatively large tube ginto the vacuum-pan G. The pan is provided with a jacket G to which steam is admitted by the valved supply-pipe 71), which is connected with any suitable source of steam. The valve e is closed and the pump E setin operation, so as to reduce the pressure within the pan. By the heat and the reduction of atmosphericpressure the remaining liquid in the sludge is rapidly and throughly driven off. The mass is agitated bythe agitator G, which facilitates the distilling operation. When reducing the pressure within the vacuum-pan, the air removed by the pump E is drawn through the spout g, coil F, and pipe f and delivered through pipe f into the tank A, from which it is forced by the succeeding quantity of air in outward direction through the pipe 0, escaping from the latter below the level of the liquid in the vessel 0 and bubbling up through said liquid. The vapors of aldehyde and acetic acid, together with the aqueous vapor, if any, condense in the coil F, and the liquid of condensation collects in the tank A. The pump and agitator are stopped when the distilling operation is complete and atmospheric pressure restored in the vacuum-pan by opening either of the vent-cocks a at the upper portion of the pan. Oil is then admitted to the pan through a suitable pipe at and the agitator again set in motion, so as to thoroughly mix the white lead with the oil. The quantity of oil admitted depends upon the quantity of white lead in the pan G and in any case is sufficient to render the mixture fluid IIO exerted on the surface of the mass in the vat for assisting the discharge of the same through the tube g into the pan G when the valve 3 of said tube is opened. \Vater for washing the chamber 0 or for any other purpose may be supplied thereto through the valved pipes a The vent-cock it serves for restoring atmospheric pressure within the settling-chamber or for permitting the escape of air therein when charging the same. The spout g of the pan is provided with a checkvalve 7;, so as to maintain the vacuum in the pan, and the pipes e e are connected with said spout beyond said valvei. e. at the opposite side to the vacuum-pan.

In Fig. 2 the filter-cloth d is removed fora part of the distance from the top of the settling-vat, so as to expose the inner shell d to view.

A number of charges from the carbonatingchamber may be admitted to one of the settling-vats, the combined mass in said vat not being discharged into the vacuum-pan until the settling-vat is approximately full. The next charge from the carbonating-chamber and succeeding charges may then be charged into the other settling-vat. The air-pump E serves two purposes-ale, starting the siphon action through the pipes c e and for reducing atmospheric pressure within the pan G.

By the-apparatus described the process of making white lead may be carried on almost continuously, the settling-vats being used alternately, and the same, in connection with the pan, condenser, and pump, providing means for rapidly and efficiently withdrawing the solvent fluid employed from the white lead.

In the carbonating-chamber the litharge (PbO) is converted by the action of the solvent fluid and the carbonic-acid gas into white lead, (lead carbonate, PbCO In the remaining portions of the apparatus the white lead is separated from the solvent fluid and the solvent fluid returned for use in repeating the process.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent--- 1 1. In an apparatus for making white lead, a settling-chamber, a float in said settlingchamber, a siphon-pipe connected with said float and extending outside the same, and a discharge-pipe communicating with the lower part of the chamber below the float, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for making white lead, a settling-chamber, a vacuum-pan, a spout connected with said vacuum-pan, a dischargepipe from the settling-chamber to the vacuum-pan, a float in said'settling-chamber, and a siphon-pipe connecting said float with th spout, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for making white lead, a settling-chamber, a vacuum-pan, a spout connected with said vacuum-pan, a dischargepipe from'the settling-chamber to the vacuum-pan, a float in said settling-chamber, a

siphon-pipe connecting said float with the spout, and a condenser connected with said spout, substantially as set forth.

4. In an apparatus for making white lead, a settling-chamber, a vacuum-pan, a spout connected with said vacuum-pan, a dischargepipe from the settling-chamber to the vacuum-pan, afloat in said chamber, a pipe connecting said float with the spout, a condenser connected with said spout, and an air-pump connected with said condenser, substantially as set forth. h

5. In an apparatus for making white lead, a settling-chamber consisting of an outer shell, an inner perforated shell and a lining of filtering material within said inner shell, a float in the settling-chamber within said lining, a siphon-pipe connected with said float and extending outside of the chamber, a discharge pipe connected wit-h the interior space of the settling-chamber below the float, and a dischargepipe connected with the space between the inner and outershells, substantially as set forth.

6. In an apparatus for making white lead, the combination,with a settling-chamber having an outer shell, an inner perforated shell and a lining of filtering material within the inner shell, of a float in said settling-cham ber withinsaid lining, a vacuum-pan, a discharge-pipe connecting the interior space of the settling-chamberwith the vacuum-pan, a

spout connected with the vacuum-pan, a siphon-pipe connected with the float and with said spout, and a discharge-pipe connecting 1 the space between the'inner and outer shells with said spout, substantially as set forth.

7. In an apparatus for making white lead, a plurality of settling-chambers provided each with an outer shell, an interior perforated shell and a lining of filtering material within the inner shell, floats, one in each settling chamber, a vacuum-pan, discharge-pipes,

each connecting the interior space of one set.-

tling-chamber with the vacuum-pan, a spout connected with said vacuum-pan, siphonpipes, one for each float, connecting the same with said spout, a discharge-pipe connecting the space between the inner andv outer shells withsaid spent, a condenser connected with said spout, and an air-pump connected with .said condenser, substantially as set forth.

8. In an apparatus for making white lead,

a plurality of settling-chambers provided each with an outer shell, an inner perforated shell valve, a condensing-coil connected with said spout beyond the valve, and an air-pump connected With said condensing-coil, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK JOHN CORBETT.

Witnesses EDWIN PHILLIPS, CEcIL W. LE PLASTRIER. 

